Campagn de France leads out of Ouistreham

Normandy Channel Race sets sail for 16 Class40s

At 16:09 local time today, in an 8-10 knot NNWerly wind and under a glorious Norman sun, the 16 Class40s competing in the Normandy Channel Race set sail.

The competitors had to sail a coastal course offering spectators off Ouistreham a bird's eye view of the racing and it was Campagne de France, skippered by Briton Miranda Merron and Norman Halvard Mabire, which puts in the best performance to lead the fleet along the French coast, followed by Louis Duc and Christophe Lebas on Carac - Advanced Energies and the Italians on Colombre XL.

Ahead lies the Saint Marcouf Islands before the fleet turn due North towards the south coast of England. The 1,000 miles then see the boats passing westwards through the Solent and on around Wolf Rock and the Tuskar Rock off southern Ireland, the Fastnet Rock and the Channel Islands, before returning to Ouistreham.

This year, the weather forecast may mean that the competitors get to complete the entire course.

"In principle, we’re going to pass very close to the Irish coast this year, to the extent that we may even smell the Guinness while not being able to taste it. How frustrating… (laughs)!” observed Louis Duc.

The fleet is set to round the Saint Marcouf Islands this evening at around 22:00 local time before crossing the English Channel and reaching the Isle of Wight tomorrow.

Provisional results at the end of the coastal course:
1. Campagne 2 France at 16:55pm
2. Colombre XL
3. Carac - Advanced Energies
4. Solidaires en Peloton - ARSEP
5. L'Express
6. Bretagne CréditMutuel
7. Serenis Consulting
8. Team Work
9. Concise 8
10. Forty Shades of Grey
11. GroupeSetin
12. Le Conservateur
13. Creno Moustache Solidaire
14. Concise 2
15. Zetra
16. Red